Since 2016, I have been partnered with GPSmyCity – a company that converts travel articles into apps that other travellers can use as a reference for self-guided walking tours. GPS coordinates are embedded into the app-converted article, so that areas and attractions mentioned by the writer can be traced by the traveller offline on the traveller’s iOS or Android device.

The goal behind GPSmyCity is to encourage more people to explore new cities on foot via a self-guided tour. No pricey group walking tours with restrictive itineraries. No stuffy bus tours with restricted views and irritating passengers. Instead, you can roam at your own pace and discover a city’s lesser-known gems.

While I love the tactile nature of a travel guidebook, these apps have shown to be beneficial for first-time solo travellers who perhaps lack confidence in their navigation skills, eco-travellers who want to use less paper, and nomadic backpackers who want to pack light and have quick access to some travel inspiration.

Guidebooks are a valuable resource for planning a trip, but they sometimes miss out unique areas of interest that a deviation from the conventional tourist route will help you discover. Furthermore, having a map on your phone as a port of call means less need for bulky guidebooks in your bag and more room for water, snacks, and mementoes gathered on the road! And with the updated baggage charges that have been introduced by more airlines after the pandemic, it doesn’t hurt to pack less weight!

Over 1500 cities across the world are featured in GPSmyCity article apps. Once you have downloaded the app, you can browse a wide selection of articles. Perhaps you are looking for the best neighbourhoods in Toronto for street art, recommended restaurants for Kimchi in Seoul, the best bookshops in Copenhagen, or a selection of parks for running in Melbourne.

Once you’ve found an article you like, it costs $1.99 to upgrade an app to a GPS-guided version, of which the author will receive a small amount. (Currently, this is the only income I make from my blog.)

The app is free to download and is designed to be used offline so no data plan or internet is needed, and no roaming either. Frequent users of the app have to the option to purchase a yearly subscription ($12.99-18.99) that allows them to download all articles for free.

• A Guide to Spending 3 Days Around Oak Bay, Vancouver Island
• How to Spend a Rainy Day in Victoria, BC
• Santiago de Compostela: A City of Culture and Connection
• Canals & Cobblestones: Exploring Copenhagen on Foot
• 24 Hours in London for the Big City-Hater 
• Books and Bridges: Budapest for the Quiet Solo Traveller
• Escape to Portugal: Arrival in Porto 
• Escape to Portugal: Loyalty and Loneliness in Lisbon
• Escape to Portugal: Opening Eyes and Ears in Sintra
• My Morning Walk Around Geneva 
• An Autumn Weekend in Whistler for the Non-Skier